Celebrity Gossip With Commentary

September 1st, 2013

Skunk Anansie have released a clip from their upcoming live DVD – view their acoustic performance of Hedonism below.

It's taken from An Acoustic Skunk Anansie: Live In London, which was recorded at the Cadogan Hall in front of 900 fans.

Vocalist Skin recently said: "When you strip everything back a lot of the beauty, vulnerability and menace of the songs shines through in totally new ways. The nuances of the writing really comes through.

"People were really listening, concentrating, instead of jumping up and down as is the norm. At some points it must have been as if they were hearing the band for the first time."

Ally Carter is continuing in Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan's footsteps of appropriating sexism whenever it suits them. Apparently the fate of all female-led adaptations rests on The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones' shoulders, and the reason why critics are trashing the movie is because Clary is a girl and not because the movie is bad.

I'm guessing this blind hatred of female protagonists is the reason why a majority of critics on Rotten Tomatoes found The Hunger Games to be fresh, or why RT's critics were almost evenly divided on Twilight.

Cassandra Clare has made a post on her tumblr regarding her involvement with the The Mortal Instruments movie:

I did want to add — I have of course been receiving a ton of messages about the movie: from people who loved it, people who hated it, people who are mad at me for changes made in the adaptation from book to movie, people who want me to give them Jamie Campbell Bower’s phone number immediately or they will be mad at me… It’s a little overwhelming, but I will just say:

Lamar Odom Taxis Around After DUI BustLamar Odom was seen for the first time since his DUI arrest (barely) ... getting around the only way he can now ... IN A TAXI.

TMZ broke the story ... Lamar was popped for a DUI in L.A. early Friday morning after cops believed he was driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Lamar refused all chemical tests and as a result his driver's license was suspended for year.

As for where he was headed ... the agency who took the photos claims they were snapped outside the gated community where Khloe and Lamar's house is. But frankly, it's hard to tell.

Update - 1:00 PM PST -- Khloe was just photographed driving into the gated community moments after Lamar.

Britney Spears has hired a vocal coach in the run-up to her big announcement, Digital Spy can exclusively reveal.

The singer recently teased fans by declaring she is in rehearsals for something "top secret".

Spears's publicist told DS: "Britney has been using a vocal coach and going to regular sessions and has also been working hard with her choreographer in preparation for what's coming up!

"With album eight on its way and a rumoured Las Vegas residency in the pipeline, eagle-eyed fans have spotted that all of Britney's social networks have adopted a blacked-out theme... the mystery continues!"

Spears has worked with will.i.am, Danja, William Orbit, Naughty Boy and Sia on her new record, which she hasdescribed as her most "personal" to date.

The singer hinted that she may film the music video for her new single as early as next week.

Singer joins Will.i.am and Timbaland on star-studded billSelena Gomez is to make her Dubai live debut - in less than a month.

The pop princess is the latest high-profile act to be added to the bill for Dubai Music Week, performing at Dubai World Trade Centre on Friday September 27.

The actor-turned-singer joins previously named headliners Will.i.am and Timbaland, who both perform a day earlier as part of the tradeshow, which runs from September 24-29.

The Disney Channel star turned VMA winner is now firmly carving a name in her own right since the release of her #1, debut solo album Stars Dance in July, with sales fueled with top ten Billboard single ‘Come and Get It'. She is also on an insanely successful world tour supporting the album.

Meanwhile her acting career has taken a leap of late, starring in the forthcoming thriller Getaway alongside Ethan Hawke.

Backed by legendary producer Quincy Jones, the first Dubai Music Week will act as a trade and industry showcase, as well as hosting major concerts for fans.

Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” instantly establishes itself as the most unflinching of all slave dramas, which is to say, there is plenty of flinching, not to mention cowering and recoiling and passing out, thanks to beatings and whippings that arrive at roughly 10-to-15-minute intervals throughout a 133-minute running time. “Amistad,” meet the Marquis de Sade, in the form of slavemaster Michael Fassbender, who puts his victims through more tortures than Mel Gibson ever could have imagined for Jesus.

This revolving door of graphically rendered brutalities might feel like its own punishment if not for an array of astonishing performances that’s practically a one-stop Oscar-nomination shopping spree. At the film’s world premiere in Telluride Friday night, it quickly became apparent that leading man Chiwetel Ejiofor had moved to the head of the line of best actor candidates, with Fassbender and newcomer Lupita Nyong'o sure to contend in the supporting categories. Even those of us who aren’t Oscar bloggers should break out whatever mnemonic devices we need to immediately commit Ejiofor’s and Nyong'o’s names to the tips of our tongues.

The race for Oscars 2014 is so fucking on, ONTD! This film and "Gravity" are sure to make multiple nomination appearances during the January announcements. Can't wait to see more potential Oscar contenders bringing their A-game in the coming months!

Also... Rooting for my harem husband Fassy to get that Best Supporting Actor Oscar! <3

You might think this would be a cakewalk for him: After all, the 38-year-old celebrity chef has published 17 previous cookbooks and hosted 25 previous TV shows and specials, many of which have focused on eating well on a budget. But something went terribly wrong during this week’s publicity blitz: Oliver suddenly began insulting the very people he was trying to market his new products to, and once he started saying condescending things he couldn't stop.

First, in an interview with the Radio Times, Oliver derided the poor for watching TV and eating fast food instead of cooking healthy meals for themselves. “I'm not judgmental, but,” he began—a phrase which, like “I’m not a racist, but” or “I’m not homophobic, but” is a surefire indication that the clause to follow will prove the first clause false. This was certainly true in Oliver’s case; he went on to say:

I've spent a lot of time in poor communities, and I find it quite hard to talk about modern-day poverty. You might remember that scene in [Oliver’s previous TV series] Ministry of Food, with the mum and the kid eating chips and cheese out of Styrofoam containers, and behind them is a massive fucking TV. It just didn't weigh up. …

I meet people who say, “You don't understand what it's like.” I just want to hug them and teleport them to the Sicilian street cleaner who has 25 mussels, 10 cherry tomatoes, and a packet of spaghetti for 60 pence, and knocks out the most amazing pasta. You go to Italy or Spain and they eat well on not much money. We've missed out on that in Britain, somehow.

Oliver seemed to be referring to an antiquated, romanticized notion of Italian dietary habits: A study of young Italians’ eating habits in next month’s edition of the academic journal Appetite notes “a decline … among the young ‘traditionals’ who stand out for their high consumptions of fruit, vegetables and fish,” and a couple of years ago NPR explained Italians’ abandonment of traditional fare by noting wryly that these days, “you have to be wealthier to eat like a poor Mediterranean peasant.” In any case, British commentators seized not on Oliver’s outdated view of Italian eating but on his implication that Britain’s poor are too stupid, lazy, or hedonistic to value healthy eating over entertainment.( Collapse )

Studio Ghibli President Koji Hoshino announced on Sunday that studio founder and world-renowned anime filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki will "retire from the production of feature-length films." The announcement was made during a press conference at Italy's Venice Film Festival, one of the three most prestigious film festivals in the world. Ghibli's announcement does not rule out the possibility of Miyazaki working on shorter projects or other endeavors.( Collapse )

OMG I'm so sad ;_; I knew this day would eventually come but I still feel gutted. What's your favorite Ghibli movie/scene? Also yay first post?

Here are some new high quality candids photos of Demi Lovato arriving at LAX Airport on August 31, 2013. Demi will be attending Jimmy Fallon and Live with Kelly & Michael on September 3rd to promote X Factor Season 3.

With plant-based eating on the rise, McDonald’s is trying to cash in with two new vegetarian wraps, now hitting their restaurants in Canada. This is the first time in a decade that the chain eatery is attempting a vegetarian-focused product. Rather than resurrect the veggie burger (which McDonald’s say did not sell well all those years ago), they’re trying something new: a Santa Fe Veggie wrap and a Mediterranean Veggie wrap.

While this certainly looks like a colorful and kinder choice over a Big Mac, the nutritional info of the wraps are almost as bad as that big burger. The Santa Fe Veggie wrap contains 490 calories, 24 grams of fat, and 980 grams of sodium. Let’s compare that to a Big Mac, which brings in 540 calories, 29 grams of fat, and 1,020 grams of sodium. While omitting the cheese and dairy sauces will no doubt bring those numbers down, this is an example of using moderation with these foods. Not that anyone looks to McDonald’s for healthy or cruelty-free fare.

As Ramadan begins, more than 100 hunger-strikers in Guantánamo Bay continue their protest. More than 40 of them are being force-fed. A leaked document sets out the military instructions, or standard operating procedure, for force-feeding detainees. In this four-minute film made by Human Rights organisation Reprieve and Bafta award-winning director Asif Kapadia, US actor and rapper Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), experiences the procedure

Dating since December 2011, the couple got engaged in New Orleans after Bass proposed to the aspiring actor and model with a black diamond band. He even texted his future husband's parents to ask for their permission first."They're such a great couple, everyone is so happy for them," another source tells Us. "Their friends and family are thrilled."

Turchin hinted at the engagement on Saturday, Aug. 31. "Happiest guy in the world," he tweeted.Bass, 34, recently reunited with his 'N Sync bandmates to perform at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards since 2003, marking a very special moment for the singer in more ways than one. "For the first time ever I got to perform w *NSYNC as an out entertainer and was thinking of this man," Bass tweeted on Aug. 28. Along with the caption, the Sirius "Dirty Pop with Lance Bass" radio host shared a photo of himself and his now fiance.

Bass previously dated Amazing Race winner Reichen Lehmkuhlin in early 2006 and was briefly linked to Brazilian model Pedro Andrade in 2007. He dated New York-based hairdresser Ben Thigpen from August 2007 to March 2008. Bass publicly came out as gay in July 2006.

A multiday electronic music festival on Randalls Island was canceled on Sunday, after city officials said two concertgoers had died and at least four others had fallen critically ill during the first two days of the event.

Citing “serious health risks,” the city recommended canceling the event, hours before the third day of the festival, known as the Electric Zoo, was to begin, and the festival’s organizers agreed, the mayor’s office said. The announcement said that both deaths had appeared to involve the drug MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, though the causes of death had not been officially determined.

Waffles. Shitty Watercolour is a U.K.-based artist who has become famous for his paintings of sloths which he then gives away. His bio reads: I am an 18 year old from the United Kingdom who publishes shitty watercolours on the internet (mainly on reddit). The paintings I have done on reddit are not for sale, but you can ask about commissions. All of my supplies are Winsor and Newton, and I am not Quentin Blake.

The 'We Can't Stop' hitmaker - who recently shocked fans with her racy performance at the MTV Video Music Awards last weekend - admitted she has "issues" and struggles taking much-needed breaks from work.

Speaking to the Sunday People newspaper, she said: "I'm messed up ... I have so many f***ing issues.

"I am so f***ed up - everyone does dumb stuff when they are messed up.

"I don't have a normal life. I take a hiatus every now and again but I'm not good at that."

The 20-year-old star rose to fame with the lead role in 'Hannah Montana' - but she claimed she was never like the clean-cut character she portrayed on the Disney Channel show.

She explained: "During 'Hannah Montana' I think people knew I was acting. I've never been able to hide anything, a bit like Justin Bieber.

"Others who have been on kids' shows try to act like their characters - but I'm not like that.

"I never pretended I was as good as the Disney Channel writes ... You will be amazed at some of the notes I got ... It's crazy. But they can't make ­people not grow up."

The X Factor judge admitted: ‘The truth is we’re no longer together. It is over.’

Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton has made no secret of his desire to be reunited with the 35-year-old; he even dedicated his Hungarian Grand Prix win to her last month, which Nicole said was ‘sweet of him’.

She added: ‘I don’t like to take credit for things. I like to stay in the background but it’s nice to be acknowledged and to know that someone realises the support that they had.’ But Scherzinger admits his public gestures aren’t enough to win her back just yet.

‘I know he’s been very public about trying to get me back, but we’re still not together,’ adding: ‘I don’t know what the future holds to be honest, but as it stands we’re not together’.

Speaking after his Hungarian GP win Lewis, 28, said: ‘I feel like, the thought on my mind through the entire race was of someone really special to me. And I want to dedicate it to her’.

The couple split in July this year after five years together blaming both their busy schedules.

Just a few days into production on Glee‘s Finn Hudson tribute, co-star Kevin McHale describes an “extremely emotional” shoot that, at times, has been “hard to get through.”

Acknowledging that there’s essentially “no ‘right’ way to do it,” the McKinley vet says he was blown away when he first read the script for the episode, which is slated to air on Oct. 10.

“There are so many incredibly well written and powerful scenes,” he shares, before singling out one sequence as being particularly moving. “When [the cast] got the script, we were all reading it together and we were like, ‘Did you get to that one scene.’ And when you see it everyone will know what that one scene is.”

McHale says reactions to Finn’s death will be both varied and surprising, noting that some castmembers “are having to play reactions that they obviously would not feel in real-life, and that’s a weird thing to play. Because you want people to know how you actually feel. But [Ryan Murphy & Co. are staying true to] the characters, and that’s the smart thing to do.”

For example, several characters find themselves in a deep state of denial. “Some people aren’t dealing with the loss of Finn, and it’s a difficult thing because in real life none of us were like that,” he explains. “We were all very much dealing with it.”

The 74-year-old was engulfed in a second telly race row while in Celebrity Big Brother after making an anti-Muslim remark.

In his first newspaper interview since leaving the house, the former manager dismissed the fallout over his comment as “something out of nothing” and even hinted of a return to commentating. Ron was branded a racist in 2004 for calling Chelsea player Marcel Desailly, now 44, a “n****r” live on air.

He told the Daily Star ­Sunday: “I am what I am.

“Whether or not people think I’m racist has never been an issue that bothers me.

“I know people might think that’s strange. I don’t feel I have to justify myself in that respect and I didn’t go on the show for that reason.

“People that know me know I haven’t got a problem.

“I’ve lived my life for the past nine years, I haven’t been hiding under a bushel. I’ve had a decent time.”

CBB viewers saw Ron make another gaffe last weekend when housemate Danielle Marr, 33, put her jumper over her head.

Ron was handed a formal warning after alluding to burkas by asking her: “You’re not carrying a bomb with you, are you?”( Collapse )SOURCE

Actors get paid to make-out with each other, and thanks to movie magic, it almost always looks sexy and romantic. However, that's not always the case. In fact, according to their co-stars, some of Hollywood's biggest names are some of the worst kissers.

Jacqui Getty, director Gia Coppola, actress Claudia Levy and actor James Franco attend the 'Palo Alto' Photocall during the 70th Venice International Film Festival at the Sala Grande on September 1, 2013 in Venice, Italy.

The 50th anniversary of Doctor Who is right around the corner and, with mere months to go before the celebrations kick off in earnest, Digital Spy wants to know the answer to a very important question - who is your favorite Doctor?

Join us every day from August 28 to September 6 as we take a look back at a half-century of Who and - in a new daily blog - weigh up the merits of each Doctor, from William Hartnell to Matt Smith, before finally revealing DS readers' favorite Doctor of all time on Monday, September 9.

As September begins, we turn our attentions to an actor who took on a near-insurmountable task and came out the other side pretty damn well indeed... it's Peter Davison!

Hayden Panettiere shows off her incredible figure in a yellow and blue zigzag design bikini on Miami Beach. The 'Nashville' actress is spending the holiday weekend with her beau, boxer Wladimir Klitschko at his South Florida home and some of her friends during a break from filming the hit show.

If you look up the definition of “longevity,” a picture of Bianca Lawson should be next to it. She’s been in the acting game for 20 years and her resume includes roles in Saved by the Bell, Save the Last Dance and more recently, The Vampire Diaries. She’s the actress everybody knows, but can’t quite name; the supporting player that completes the story.

Today, she assumes the role of Ms. Morrell on MTV hit Teen Wolf, where she is finally the adult and not the teenager. During our Vixen Chat, we talked about what role she still wants to play, working on (another) hit show and why she doesn’t seem to age.( Collapse )looking like a teen at 34, your haggard faves could never

The tie-in annual has provided yet another promo image from the movie (Beorn in his bear form) as well as some hints and spoilers. There's nothing TOO major, but a few character details, plot points, and surprises are definitely teased.

Former Chart Topper Ashanti Celebrates Album Release In Vegas With Everyone Who Bought It

Hitting up Sin City to celebrate the release of her new album, Braveheart, Ashanti partied at Moon Nightclub inside the Palms Casino on Friday night (August 30).

The "Rock Wit U" (remember?) singer looked okay I guess, in a strapless black and pink dress with black and white heels as she posed for pics before getting down to business.Earlier this month, reports surfaced (but who bothered to check) that the 32-year-old singer and past collaborator Ja Rule were working on new music together after his recent release from prison.

Posting a pic of the two in the studio, Ashanti tweeted, "Uhh ohhhhh me & my bro @ruleyorkcity in the lizzaaaabbbbb!!!!!!! We haven't seen each other in 4ever!!! & it feels great!!!"

Season three of "Veep" may not premiere on HBO until 2014, but Julia Louis-Dreyfus was just itching to give us some details about what's to come for her character, Vice President Selina Meyer, during her recent video chat with Gold Derby's Tom O'Neil and Matt Noble.

Real Madrid have signed forward Gareth Bale from Tottenham on a six-year deal.The transfer fee of £85.3m (100m euros) breaks the world record of £80m set in 2009 when Cristiano Ronaldo moved from Manchester United to Real Madrid.The 24-year-old Wales international joined Spurs as a left-back for £10m from Southampton in 2007 and scored 26 goals for them last season.His superb form led to him being named player of the year by both the PFA and Football Writers.

sourcemadrid you are such a joke,Bale worth more than our precious Ronnie?this flop

His relationship with Miley Cyrus has been overshadowed by her wayward antics at the VMAs.

But as the dust settles following her X-rated performance with Robin Thicke at the annual show, Liam Hemsworth jetted to London to spend some quality time with big brother Chris.The 23-year-old hunk was spotted leaving Sketch nightclub in the capital on Saturday evening following a late night out with Chris, 30, and sister-in-law Elsa Pataky.

Dressed casually in a fur lined bomber jacket, jeans and trainers, a bearded Liam looked downcast as he ventured out of the club and into the back of a waiting cab.Twenty minutes earlier his brother had departed looking equally relaxed in a loose white shirt and jeans, while Spanish actress Elsa, 37, looked smart in a black coat, long grey scarf and pink heels.

British actress Gemma Arterton was spotted on the set of her upcoming feature by Anne Fontaine called “Gemma Bovery” with Niels Schneider. They were seen at a market in Lyons-La-Forêt in the Normandy region of France, 29 August 2013. Actor Fabrice Luchini plays the part of the town baker, accompanied by his wife, played by Isabelle Candelier.

Sean Kingston has settled up with the 22-year-old girl who accused the singer and his former bodyguards of gang rape back in 2010. Kingston is said to have settled NOT because he's admitting guilt, but because his upcoming tour and new album release will prevent him from focusing his energies on a messy civil trial.

Our sources close to Kingston's team say he paid the alleged victim only a fraction of what she asked for in order to make the lawsuit disappear as soon as possible. They didn't tell us the exact amount of the settlement. That said, we're told Kingston believes he would have won the case outright if it went to trial, the same way he dodged criminal charges three years ago.

As one source said, "Her story wasn't consistent. She told various stories throughout her interviews with police. Her friend's story wasn't consistent with hers. The medical report had no indications of force."Capeloto claims the bodyguard picked her up and placed her on top of Kingston, and all three of the men proceeded to gang rape her while she was "obviously intoxicated, incapable of consent."Capeloto also states that she was taken to the hospital by the police and was treated for physical injuries consistent with rape.

As we reported, Kingston acknowledged having sex with the 19 year old but said the sex was consensual. The lawsuit is expected to be dismissed shortly.

Fall TV premieres are right around the corner, but with three weeks until the new season kicks off, now's the perfect time to jump on the binge-watching bandwagon: catch up with shows you fell behind on, discover new series you might have missed in last fall's deluge, or just get nostalgic with classics that you can now watch in their entirety.

To give you plenty of options over the Labor Day long weekend, we've rounded up 27 must-watch shows, both old and new, that you can stream via Netflix and Hulu (in some cases, without needing to pay for a Hulu Plus subscription). From foreign imports like "Moone Boy," "The Fall" and "Braquo" to the most recent seasons of "Scandal," "The Good Wife" and "Parks and Recreation," there's something for everyone.

See the new star of "Doctor Who" in action before he hops into the TARDIS, check out Peggy Olson with a New Zealand accent and find out what Hugh Laurie got up to before he won our hearts as "House." And that's not even counting premium sites like HBO Go, Showtime Anytime and Amazon Instant Video, each boasting staggering libraries of shows past and present, if you have access. Check out our list below, and hit the comments with your own favorite online discoveries:

"Breaking Bad"

You still have time to catch up before the end! A high school chemistry teacher dying of cancer teams with a former student to manufacture and sell crystal meth to secure his family's future.

One of the hit books of the summer tells the controversial story of a female teacher who loves seducing young teenage boys. While any breach of the teacher-pupil relationship is unacceptable, Rebecca Holman questions why we view teenage girls as more vulnerable than teenage boys:

I spent most of my recent holiday badgering my two friends to read Tampa, the debut novel by Alissa Nutting. I’d just finished it, and like all good books, I needed to dissect every element, character and plot point before I could move on, like the end of a particularly baffling relationship.

The book is written from the point of view of Celeste, an attractive 26-year-old woman who trains to become a teacher, and takes a post at a high school for the sole purpose of fulfilling her insatiable sexual desire for young teenage boys. As a character she is entirely driven by lust, shows no remorse for her actions, gives no excuse or explanation for her sexual preferences. She doesn’t feel the need to justify it because for her, that’s all there is. Her desire is everything.

Ed Sheeran seems to be turning into quite the ladies man with rumours he's getting cosy with the gorgeous Ellie Goulding, plus the never-ending speculation that he's more than just friends with his touring partner Taylor Swift.

According to Ed's mates Rizzle Kicks though, nothing has ever happened between the A Team crooner and Miss Swift.

We asked the pair if Ed and Taylor have anything going on, in light of all those rumours, but the boys were quick to shoot down the rumours with: "they definitely don't".

Whilst Ed might not be romancing Taylor, Jordan and Harley have dispelled the singer's good boy image by telling us that Mr Sheeran is an outrageous drunk!

A few weeks back, one of our esteemed writers presented the possibility of Peter Landesman’s “Parkland,” the film recounting the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated, as a dark horse in the Oscar race later this year. Just announced to be released on October 4, Landesman’s film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in the last 24 hours and the word seems to be mixed to negative.( Collapse )

Models Carlos Santolalla and John Tuite, or "Jarlos" as they are known, have become fixtures in the downtown New York scene and posted the above picture on their dual-instagram account last night, spawning gay rumors for Harry. This is not the first time Harry Styles has been spotted with the downtown couple. Back in April of last year, Harry was spotted with Carlos & John at ZigZag Le Bain, the notorious weekly gay party at The Standard Hotel. In the comment section of the Instagram post, One Direction fans have begun questioning Harry's sexuality and the promotion of ~Larry~ (Louis + Harry).

A good television theme song can set the entire tone of the show before you watch a minute of an episode. In the history of television, there have many memorable theme songs that are amongst pop culture’s most valued artifacts. A few bars of theme song from “Cheers” and you will be singing the song about going to the place where everybody knows your name.

Over the last 40 years, hip-hop has been represented on a variety of television shows. A wide variety of shows from sitcoms, dramas and cartoons feature rap songs as their theme song. Every ’80s baby can pretty much recite the lyrics to “Theme From The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air” on cue. Even children’s show have gotten their own rap song at times.

XXL has compiled a list of 15 television shows that feature rap music as their theme.

The Boondocks

Since its initial inception as daily comic strip in 1999, Aaron MacGruder’s The Boondocks has been stuffed with insider references and various rap minutiae making it one of the most hip-hop-related television shows of all-time. Accordingly, Adult Swim’s incredible cartoon adaptation features one of the greatest hip-hop musical television themes of all-time. Performed by underground hip-hop artist, Asheru, The Boondocks main theme sets the aggressively political tone of the show from the jump.

K. Michelle and Tamar Braxton have been directly and indirectly firing shots at each other in the media and on social media sites, but K. Michelle still plans to support her music.The “V.S.O.P.” singer took to her Instagram account on Saturday night to share her excitement about the albums that will be dropping on this coming Tuesday which includes Jaheim, Raheem DeVaughn, John Legend, and Tamar Braxton.